The Middlesex-London Health Unit has has new data showing high rates of COVID-19 in children, particularly those aged zero to eleven, and twelve to seventeen.
During a press event on Thursday, Dr. Chris Mackie revealed data showing that the rate of cases is sitting at 43 per 100,000 for 0-11 year-olds, and 42 per 100,000 for 12-17 year-olds.
“If you compare, the week of September 12, of this year, comparing with the week of September 13 of last year. The the rate is well over 10 times as high,” Dr. Mackie explained while showing a 
chart demonstrating the cases.
“We had at one single case, and anyone under age 18 in 2020. This year, in that week, we had 28 cases in the zero to 11 group and 14 cases in the 12 to 17 group.”
Reportedly, there’s no evidence that school opening has impacted the case rate, and that the reverse is actually true.
“As we reviewed the data to examine this week to examine whether school opening had any impact on rates in school aged children, we found that it did not but that rates actually had been high for about two weeks prior to school opening.”
The data is based on episode date, meaning the date people become ill, rather than reported positive cases.
The health unit has also asked the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario that COVID-19 Vaccines be included in the immunization of school pupils act, meaning children going to school would require the vaccine or have to go through a formal process to decline the vaccine.
Dr. Mackie also explained that of the 102 cases in these age groups since August, 92 of the cases were not fully vaccinated. The health unit has also reached out to the federal government to expedite the approval of the vaccine for younger children.
“The vaccination is highly protective, and truly making a difference. If we can extend that vaccination down to the lower age groups, that would make a huge difference as well.”
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